Design is a powerful force that shapes culture and it is a professional activity that is beneficial for both community and business alike. This blog is for all those who are interested in exploring these wider manifestations of design as a critical human activity and would like to shape its application across all human cultural and economic activities.

Monday, March 26, 2012

I am posting on the blog after a long period of absence and introspection. I was invited by the Torrent Group in Ahmedabad to make a presentation on organisational sustainability based on my reading of major events and key highlights from the NID history of the past 50 years at a conclave for their senior managers at Ranikhet. The text below is the thumbnail outline for my lecture and it sums up my readings from the events that I have listed. The visual presentation titled "Lessons from NID History: Reflections on Institution Building for India" can be downloaded from this link below:

Chairman of The Governing Councils at NID1. Gautam Sarabhai - Oct 1961 to Feb 19742. Pupul Jayakar – March 1974 to June 19783. B G Verghese – July 1978 to June 19814. Shrenik K Lalbhai – July 1981 to June 19845. Prof. Yash Pal – July 1984 to June 19906. H Y Sharada Prasad – July 1991 to July 19947. Hasmukh Shah – August 1994 to June 20058. Ajai Dua (IAS) – January 2006 to February 20079. Salman Haider – March 2007 to January 201210. Anand Mahindra – January 2012 to date

The Culture Building Years: 1980 to 1990* Systems building in education and formulation of teaching curriculum and syllabus* Testing of educational processes that were unique to India and elsewhere* No examiniation system of evaluation jury and qualitative assessment of students* Professional Projects taken to classrooms and students work on live projects in the field* Research projects in textiles and industrial design* Social Communication projects in Communication Design* Environmental Design projects for Tourism and Conservation of heritage* Village studies through Special Projects and Extension Training in Crafts* Focus on Quality and Delivery of results as new models for development* Faculty Forum and Open Forum as a platform for planning and collective action* International acclaim for development focus – ICSID Phillips Award* International acclaim for Design Education – Sir Misha Black Award* UNDP Project Funding and second round of Faculty Development and international training* Induction of Vinay Jha as 3rd Executive Director: 1985 to 1989* Ashoke Chatterjee as Faculty Emeritus and Advisor* Decentralising of Administrative processes* Liberalisation of Faculty engagement and work ethic* Project focus and Institution building strengthened by decentralisation* Outreach Programmes set up with Cells in Bangalore, Madras, Delhi and Calcutta

The Consolidation Years: 1989 to 2000* Induction of Vikas Satwalekar as 4th Executive Director* Consolidation of Education programmes and documentation of outcomes* Young Designers Publications launched and sustained* Diploma Projects of students as a barometer of connect with the National economy* Major Professional Projects continue* Publications Programmes established* Outreach Programmes consolidated* Consulting activities strengthened* Major consolidation in education processes and quality focus* New Curricullum developed and introduced at UG and PG levels

The Rapid Expansion Years 2000 to 2008* Dr D O Koshy inducted as 5th Executive Director* Numerous new initiatives launched on a daily basis* New Centres set up in Bangalore and Gandhinagar* New Disciplines launched at Paldi, Gandhinagar and Bangalore campuses* Design projects outsourced and rapidly scaled up* Disconnect from education and projects* Educational processes undermined* Pre-Diploma presentation abandoned* NID in the news on daily basis* CII-NID Design Summit series launched and sustained from 2001* Many International linkages re-established under the MOU format* Student and Faculty Exchange programmes formalised and expanded* Government Funding for new facilities and campuses enhanced* Quality erosion in education a source of concern internally* NID workshops dismantled to make way for digital facilities* National Design Policy launched* Massive Computer infrastructure established with government funding* Speed, Efficiency and Administrative controls centralised* Research Focus as a new slogan to bring culture change* Faculty induction with slant for PhD holders* Student dissent on Gandhinagar and Bangalore campusses* D O Koshy’s term extended in 2005 but suddenly ended in 2008

The Golden Jubillee Years; 2008 to 2012* Akhil Succenna appointed as Acting Director.* Status quo in education and institutional processes* Pradyumna Vyas inducted as 6th Executive Director* Consolidation of Education quality and processes announced* Review of curriculum launched by faculty and alumni teams in each discipline* Publication of NID History as a major project for Golden Jubilee* MSME Project launched with massive funding from Government* Faculty consulting scheme launched after much debate* Institutional projects take a back-seat* India Design Council Launched and new programmes for design promotion announced.* Railway Minister allots Rs 10 Crores for a Railway Design Centre at NID campus in March 2012 budget speech.

Insights & Lessons from NID History

A. Nature of DesignComplexity and ChaosSystems ThinkingWicked ProblemsValue of Traditional WisdomMetaphor of Seed – Needs NurtureMetaphor of Fire – Acts as a SystemMetaphor of Iceberg – Only a part is visible

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